Overview

This lesson will address how to select an accessible slide deck theme and make sure your use of color supports accessibility.

Core Concepts

Themes

Many people use slide themes to make their PowerPoint more visually appealing. However, the themes come with default colors and fonts that may be difficult for some (or all) viewers to see very well. Under the Design tab, you can browse slide themes. When you click on a theme you can also select from different variants - additional color combinations. It's good to pay close attention to the colors displayed in order to make sure you have adequate color contrast.

Note: Unfortunately, the Accessibility Checker in PPT does not check for color contrast. If a color is part of the theme background you won't be able to find the hex code in order to test for color contrast. In this case, try to use your best judgment when selecting colors. A white or off-white background with very dark text or a dark background with white text is the best approach.

Change Theme Color

The most time efficient way to change the text color associated with a theme is through the Variants menu under the Design tab. The following steps will walk you through adjusting your font colors:

Expand the Variants menu.
Select Colors from the menu.
As you scroll through the color options you will see your slide changing color in the background. You can scan through until you find one where there is good contrast between the text and background.
You can also change the colors yourself by selecting "Customize Colors".

Accessible Themes

In some versions of PowerPoint you can search for themes that Microsoft has deemed accessible (though we'd caution you that some still have font sizes that are a bit small). When creating a new PPT you simply type "accessible" into the search bar.

Fonts & Font Size

As expected, the best fonts to use in a PowerPoint are clean and simple ones. Try to make sure your font is easy to read from a distance, for viewers who may be in the back of the room during your presentation.

One of the most important things, when it comes to fonts, is the font size. We recommend making sure your text is at least 20pt font. However, some fonts run small and some run big, so use your best judgment when selecting a font and size.

Check Your Understanding:

The Accessibility checker will identify when slides do not have good color contrast.

A. True

Incorrect.
Unfortunately, the checker will not check for color contrast issues.

B. False

Correct.

Video Supplements

Use more accessible colors and styles in slides (2 min)

A short video from Microsoft on the proper use of color and selecting accessible themes.

Use more accessible colors and styles in slides